icular beauty, or
elegance, which she thought distinguished each of her numerous suites of
apartments. She then withdrew to her toilet, the throne of her homage,
and Emily to her chamber, to unpack her books, and to try to charm her
mind by reading, till the hour of dressing.

When the company arrived, Emily entered the saloon with an air of
timidity, which all her efforts could not overcome, and which was
increased by the consciousness of Madame Cheron's severe observation.
Her mourning dress, the mild dejection of her beautiful countenance, and
the retiring diffidence of her manner, rendered her a very interesting
object to many of the company; among whom she distinguished Signor
Montoni, and his friend Cavigni, the late visitors at M. Quesnel's, who
now seemed to converse with Madame Cheron with the familiarity of old
acquaintance, and she to attend to them with particular pleasure.

This Signor Montoni had an air of conscious superiority, animated
by spirit, and strengthened by talents, to which every person seemed
involuntarily to yield. The quickness of his perceptions was strikingly
expressed on his countenance, yet that countenance could submit
implicitly to occasion; and, more than once in this day, the triumph of
art over nature might have been discerned in it. His visage was long,
and rather narrow, yet he was called handsome; and it was, perhaps,
the spirit and vigour of his soul, sparkling through his features, that
triumphed for him. Emily felt admiration, but not the admiration that
leads to esteem; for it was mixed with a degree of fear she knew not
exactly wherefore.

Cavigni was gay and insinuating as formerly; and, though he paid almost
incessant attention to Madame Cheron, he found some opportunities of
conversing with Emily, to whom he directed, at first, the sallies of his
wit, but now and then assumed an air of tenderness, which she observed,
and shrunk from. Though she replied but little, the gentleness and
sweetness of her manners encouraged him to talk, and she felt relieved
when a young lady of the party, who spoke incessantly, obtruded herself
on his notice. This lady, who possessed all the sprightliness of
a Frenchwoman, with all her coquetry, affected to understand every
subject, or rather there was no affectation in the case; for, never
looking beyond the limits of her own ignorance, she believed she had
nothing to learn. She attracted notice from all; amused some, disgusted
others for